As there is so much random junk for sale on places like ebay, If you want something like this I would reccommend you use a reputable retailer. I get lots of things from car builder solutions, I think they are good enough that they don't sell anything that's rubbish. They've got a set of six mini style round lights here for £55.

Still, I am also not sold on those round light conversions so far. Always looks "modified for modified sake" like a lot of the kids with their corsas who depending on the season either like to colour key trim that was originally black as standard or take original colour keyed trim and paint it black for the race look .

Also going to goodwood revival this year - camping friday and saturday nights and watching the racing saturday, drinking beer for the rest of the time. Probably going with 1 Scimitar and 1 MGB, if I can get the bloody axle rebuilt/ replaced in time which is turning into a bit of a saga.

Wait what now? That's all six lights for £55? Probably the same level of tat but cheaper than the people I got a quote from.

To be honest I've just started getting a single quote and I would probably look around for something decent to use, and preferably glass bulbs not plastic... so possibly something taken off an old car.

Again though I think they need to be fixed behind the panel not on top. It says 'diameter: 72mm. mounting hole 35mm". But the way I would do it I would push them out through a 72mm mounting hole so they are as flush as possible to the body.

- Always looks "modified for modified sake" -

I agree with that, but again it's because it isn't done particularly faithfully to the car design. People just buy these plastic round lights and whack them into a panel and it looks gack. My thinking is the opposite... those rectangular clusters were, I would wager, a cost saving decision made at a point in time where the 'classic' look of three round bulbs was being superceded by the new design language of rectangular lights. The car itself feels like it might have been more suitable to round rear lights. It's on the cusp of the transition from one era to the next. The fact that the 4 has round lights and looks nicer is the thing that makes me think that if it was done properly, with attention tot he detail and the shape of the car, it would actually be a genuine improvement to the transitional classic look of the car rather than like a Halfords bosh job.

I can definitely see where you're coming from if so. They would look nice and slick, but they would need to wrap around the edge which would require more fundamental restructuring, and the Cinq being a small car, I wonder if the size of these when wrapped around the outer edges would leave them looking too far apart and a bit odd.

- Feel free to prove us wrong and persuade us otherwise! -

My idea would be to use a metal outer facade piece where the holes are punched outwards so it looks like the SE4 light apertures. Then, if I can make it so the bulbs can be changed from inside, the facade piece would be seamlessly blended into the car... probably with something bodge-ish but imperceptible once it was all painted over.

I don't know... I need to make it a project and take the lights out again to see what's possible. It might be time to master fibreglassing so I can make the pieces out of fibreglass. I'm guessing, but if I could make a piece and then while it's still 'wet' (if indeed it is ever wet to the point of being controllably malleable) then I could push out the holes with a snooker ball on the reverse side and get the SE4 effect. Not, wait, that wouldn't work because I'd have to drill the light's holes in wet fibreglass to do that hahah. I'd have to make a mould.

Last edited by AnotherTim on Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:51 am, edited 2 times in total.

Vertically shorter lights, horizontally longer, has the effect of widening the Scimitar's a*se end. Not considered that actual feasibility of it bodywork wise and how much they would interfere with the vent grills at the sides. Something could be done though

I am actually thinking of Cinquecento lights now. They can be picked up very cheaply so a starting point would be to buy some and see what they look like behind the scenes / how easily they could be mated up.

I have also decided to modify my rear lights (gulp, waits for the abuse)

I am not modifying the original opening so if i decide later it looks good awfull i can undo everything, but so far i am pleased.
My plan is build a cluster that fits into the original recess (it does go a little deeper so i had to cut the inner flange out) and use some molded polycarb to cover. This will follow the body line of the whole rear end and i hope will give a smooth but classy look.
I can put pictures on my Project progress page when i'm a little further along.

Cheers Corky. Just skimmed the first few pages (and it's about 20 long) so it's going to be a useful trove of info and ideas.

One thing I feel quite strongly is that round lights are only going to be good on a 5. The squarish design language of the 6 means the rectangle clusters are by far the best style... they actually look good on the 6, whears they look like a compromise on the 5 IMHO.

But this pic here, borrowed from page 3 or 4 of that thread, is everything that's wrong about merely buying round lights and sticking them on. It just looks like it cost 20 minutes and a Halfords gift card to do this, and the different layers of materials and details all pile up to make it look like it wasn't actually ever meant to be like this...

Sink them behind the panel to lose the black parts. Blend the panel in with the body work (painting it the same colour would also help), and lose the screws holding it on...counter sink and then fill&smooth over before dropping a dab of paint over. Even then they'lllook crap because they're too big, too plastic, and the lens textures don't match.

Or... paint match the panel inlays to be a seamless blend from the side piece ie in black, and then at least the black of the light fittings isn't so prominent.

(Apologies for the criticism if the owner of this car is still here... but it wasn't a name I recognised so I assume he may have moved on by now)